Vale PD Cobalt Unit
by SnowieBearSnarl
Summary: The Cobalt Unit, a special interdepartmental task force with their own precinct, the most powerful and exclusive branch of the police force made largely of Huntsmen and Huntresses. It's a dangerous life but those who are capable are in a position to do a lot of good... but the personal costs can be immense. (Written in collaboration with Chalister)
1. Welcome To Cobalt

"I'm finally here…" The soft voice almost died out in the warm spring breeze as it left her lips. The diminutive young woman almost couldn't believe that she was really where she wanted to be, her big purple eyes stared up at the old stone building with fine masonry and cobbled steps, it's roof a distinctive green from rusted copper. A satisfied smirk pulled at her lips as she reached her hand up, running her fingers through her apple red bangs, her shoulder length hair tied in a braid on one side of her head. It wasn't a large building and its placement wasn't grandiose for the part of town it was in, to most passersby, it would seem like no building of importance… but they'd be wrong.

' _Vale Police Department; Cobalt Unit.'_

Those words were carved in stone, clearly visible despite the building's age, a testament to its defiance of the test of time. She could feel a sense of wonder, excitement and intensity as she took in a deep breath of the city air. In the distance cars rushed busily from place to place, at peace in a bastion of safety, a peace kept safe from threats external by the military and Huntsmen and from within kept in order and security by the police that patrolled the streets. _Today's my first day on the force, but I'm not gonna let anyone underestimate me. I'll kick so much ass I'll be running this place in a few years. Okay, definitely getting ahead of myself but a girl can dream. Besides, I still have a lot to learn, this won't be anything like the academy._

"Still… I wish I could wear something a little more comfortable." With a sigh she looked down at herself. The upside to being a huntress is that after getting out of the academy you could dress however you want. Even though she was already a detective, she was a little more thoroughly dressed that she'd have liked. She wore black work boots and matching black dress pants held to her waist with a chain belt, a green unbuttoned vest that hung down half her torso over a white button up top with the sleeves rolled up past her elbows and was accessorized only with a purple scarf that hung around her neck. _I jumped through a lot hoops to not have to be a uniformed officer before becoming a detective but this still kinda sucks. Whatever, maybe if I work my ass off I can change these stupid rules._

"Are you just gonna stand there?" A sudden and very close voice ripped her out of her head. Instantly she jumped back, her head snapping in the direction of the offending person.

"Whoa! Relax, I didn't mean to scare you." It was a young man, a faunus with short blonde hair and a relaxed smile, his hands resting in his jeans pocket beside his badge and gun clipped to opposite sides of his belt. He wore wore a white t-shirt and a had a small gold earring in one ear and a silver chain around his neck with a small amulet and a monkey's tail that wrapped comfortably around his waist.

"You didn't scare me, you just surprised me." Thistle huffed defensively, her heart still racing from the startle. "So… um, you new here too?"

"New to the Cobalt Unit and the big city. I'm from Gypsum, a town on the coast to the south. I just transferred here so it's nice to meet someone else who's as in the dark as I am." He was amiable, cool and relaxed, Thistle couldn't help felt a little jealous though she wouldn't admit it.

"What was your color back in your old precinct?" She was trying to hide the nervousness in her voice but she could tell she wasn't doing a good job as her eyes drifted away from his sparkling blues. _Whatever, I don't have to go in right now, I have time for a cigarette._

"Turquoise before I made sheriff." He stepped back, resting his ass on the metal rail on the side of the stairs as the tiny girl before him pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her pockets, opening up the pack he could see that it was over half empty as she pulled a stick of tobacco out by the filter with her lips.

"Containment and suppression… impressive." She wasn't lying, that could be one of the most dangerous jobs, especially with the rise of groups like the White Fang and ever growing faunus rights rallies that could turn violent. With a flick she opened up her lighter and brought the small, soft flame that ignited from it to the end of her cigarette, sending the paper and shreds of tobacco into a smolder as she took a long, deep, nerve steadying breath.

"What about you? No offense but you look pretty young, bet you had to bust ass to get here from your last department so fast." He grinned as she looked back up to him, her eyes soft but her expression unreadable as they smoke wafted over to him, its scent harsh on his faunus senses.

"This is actually my first day out of the academy." She admitted with a shrug, watching his expression slowly morph from disbelief to shock while she took a long drag off her cigarette before taking it between her fingers and tapping away the ashes. _Great, every asshole in there is gonna look at me like that… or like I'm some novelty or whatever._

"Seriously?" He balked, his eyebrows raised and his mouth slightly agape. "That never happens! I've been trying to get into Cobalt for years, my transfer request kept getting denied. Some people say it's harder to get into Cobalt than it is to get into Beacon!"

"Yeah well, I played it smart, pulled a lot of strings and worked hard… I deserve to be here as much as anyone else." She didn't even mean to be she could feel herself getting defensive again. _Whatever, I should just get used to the idea of everyone thinking I cheated my way in or some shit. Not like I can-_

"That's awesome!" He flash a bright, toothy grin as he stood up from the railing, looking far more impressed than anything Thistle had expected.

"Um…. thanks." She wasn't prepared for that but… it was nice. All she could do was look bashfully down at her lit cigarette while her cheeks tinted slightly pink and a soft smile formed from her lips. "It wasn't easy… but I'm happy I'm here."

"Yeah, I'd bet! What are you like, twenty-five? That's crazy impressive!" He was practically gushing, only making her cheeks burn hotter.

"So… what's your name?" She looked up hopefully at him, really looking at her fellow newcomer. He was muscular, his firm, toned abs showing even through his t-shirt, he was friendly and seemed like a genuine person. _Maybe since we're both new, he'd be my partner. Well, maybe it'd be nice to at least have a friend… I feel a lot less nervous now._

"Name's Sun, Sun Wukong. What about you?" He had to admit, he had a lot of respect for the tiny girl, she seemed tough and bold and getting into Cobalt without seeing any action as an officer at first was unheard of, at least to him.

"My name's Thistle." With a soft, warm smile she brought up her hand, pursing her lips around the filter of her cigarette, taking a deep breath, filling her lungs with the addictive, fragrant smoke before letting it all out in a drawn out exhale. "Thistle Tsvetok."

"Well Thistle, I'm looking forward to working with you. We should probably get inside, don't want to get chewed out for being late on our first day." He heard the captain was a hardass and he didn't want to get on anyone's bad side on day one.

"Yeah, I guess that's a good point." She agreed with a resigned shrug. She wasn't quite ready to go in yet but she knew he was right. "Wanna finish this off for me?"

"Um, do you see this body?" He gestured to himself. "I gotta take care of this, so no smoking for me."

"Twenty Lien says I can still kick your ass." A sly, smug grin brightened her face as she took one last drag off her cigarette, burning it down close to the filter, savoring the last of the smoke she could take from it before reluctantly exhaling, wishing she could give herself just a little bit longer before going. Even so, she breathed out the smoke and walked up the steps with Sun beside her, Thistle flicking her still smoldering cigarette into the container by the double glass doors.

 _I guess this is the start of my new life._ Standing at the threshold, Thistle held onto that thought, that idea. She had worked her whole life to get here and she would confidently take the next step like she had every step before. With a small, steadying breath she steeled her nerves… and pushed the door open.

A rush of cold, air conditioned air hit them like a wave of relief, their sweat dampened and sun soaked skin almost imbibing the perfectly chilled climate, the newcomers at once breathing a contented sigh. It was a far different atmosphere than they had expected, for sun, the boisterous precinct he had come from was replaced with a more relaxed tone, about a dozen officers in total sat at their desks in front of their computers or busily plowing through paperwork. About five of their fellow special detectives were on their Scrolls and listening in, it only took a minute for Thistle and Sun to realize they were coordinating active assignments with other units and departments that needed the skills, expertise or consultation of the Cobalt Unit.

"Hello! You must be the new detectives we've been hearing so much about." A soft, cool voice spoke up, snapping them to attention. It was a young woman with pale skin, lustrous straight black hair flowing down to her mid back and stunning crimson eyes. She was subdued but friendly, her smile so subtle it could easily be missed. She wore a red bandanna around her neck and a black, comfortable blouse with red trim and a skirt that came to a stop just above her knees, the hem a streak of crimson, and at her feet were, to Thistle, very uncomfortable looking red heels.

"Yeah, I'm Sun and this is Thistle." Sun smirked, pointing to the girl by his side with his thumb.

"My name is Iris Blank, it's a pleasure to meet you. The captain has instructed me to give you a brief tour before I send you off to her. So, without further delay, please follow me." Just like that, without waiting for another word, Iris turned around, her long hair following the path of her movements like a beautiful cascade.

"Right…" Thistle looked up warily at Sun, the much taller man shrugging before following along with Iris.

"So, let me run you through the basics of what we do here first. As you both are aware, each unit in the Vale Police Department has a shade of blue assigned to it. For instance, Sun, according to your file you were Turquoise, which means you were Containment and Suppression, you elected to get special training and qualifications in riot control. Well, every specialized officer falls into a colored category. However, unlike most other shades of blue, we here in the Cobalt Unit are an interdepartmental task force offering consultation and aide to other units, governmental departments, Huntsmen and military and even private organizations." As Iris spoke they walked around the large main room the held the desks of the working detectives, a coffee bar, white boards and various doors lining the walls leading to offices, storage, evidence, lockup and interrogation.

"Most of our detectives are graduates from the four Huntsmen Academies or transfers from other units and precincts that could pass our very rigorous application process." Thistle was only half listening, she knew all of this and something more pressing was taking her attention. _Everyone keeps staring at me…_

"Another key difference is that we are the only precinct with a designated color and we have many sub colors in our ranks from Cerulean to Sapphire. Also, since many in our force come from Huntsmen Academies and in the interest of camaraderie and safety, detectives are usually assigned a partner, though there are… exceptions." For the first time since they met, Iris' cool and collected, emotionally inscrutable voice betrayed a hint of worry and sorrow that very greatly piqued Thistle's curiosity.

"Anyway, you'll do a more comprehensive tour later. For now, the Captain would like a word with you." They came to a slow stop in front of an office with a glass and wood door, blinds obscuring the inside of the room, allowing the soft white glow of the lights within to flow through.

"Thanks for the tour!" Sun was his usually cheerful and amiable self but it didn't seem to have an effect on Detective Blank as she walked away without another word or glance.

"What's her problem?" Thistle huffed in annoyance, folding her arms over her chest.

"Eh, she's probably just busy. Come on, let's not keep the captain, I hear she's not someone you want to mess with. Back in my old precinct they used to tell stories about how scary she was." He was clearly trying to make her new friend nervous but he couldn't help himself from laughing, looking excited to see this terrifying boss of theirs.

"Well, let's get this over with." Thistle shrugged, grabbing the door handle as she tried to not let Sun's stories or her own imagination get the better of her before she pushed the door open and stepped into the office.

"Welcome! You must be Sun and Thistle!" Bright, cheerful, sweet and bubbly, that was what the supposed captain exuded as she she stood up from her seat behind her desk, her long rabbit ears standing straighter as they became alert and excited. She was a young faunus woman with big brown eyes, long brown hair and pale skin wearing a mauve dress with a leather belt around her waist.

"Yes Captain Scarlatina ." It wasn't what she was expecting but… she was kinda relieved as she walked forward with Sun towards her desk. The captain's office was well lit with large windows overlooking the city and letting in plenty of natural light, her desk was clean with only a computer, a few picture frames and neatly organized files sitting in two stacked metal trays.

"Please, just call me Velvet." With a dazzling smile Velvet extended her hand across her desk, firmly shaking Thistle's before repeating with Sun. "I prefer we use first names here. We're all on the same team and it's vitally important that we all work together, but being so formal only puts up walls between us."

"Sounds good Velv!" Sun grinned as he gave a hearty handshake to his new captain.

"Velvet will do fine." She deadpanned, her expression instantly icing over with a warning glare.

"Heh-heh… sorry Ma'am." He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head as he stepped back, leaving just shaking her head at him.

"Well, that aside it is very nice to meet you both." Her expression warmed up again almost instantly. "You both have very impressive test scores and you're both coming from unusual backgrounds. Transfers from the small coastal towns never make it to Cobalt and Thistle, it's not every day I get a strong letter of recommendation from Ozpin himself. You skipped the line and I'm very eager to see why."

"I won't disappoint." Determination flared in her heart and conviction burned in her eyes as she looked unwavered at her captain. _After all, this is what I've always wanted._

"I'm sure you won't." A sly and cunning smirk darkened her expression, her eyes glimmered with anticipation and excitement. "For the next couple weeks you'll be shadowing your new partners, getting a feel for what we do and how we operate differently than your old precinct and the police academy."

"We're both getting partners?" Her eyes dulled and a slight frown weighed down her lips as she looked up at Sun, finding the taller man by her side looking at her with a disappointed look. _I was really hoping he and I could be partners…_

"Yes, you'll bother be assigned to a senior officer who currently doesn't have a partner. Oh, a bit of forewarning, each of your new partners have some bad history with their last partners so if it takes them a while to warm up to you try not to be hard on them okay?" Just like with Iris, Velvet's voice softened with compassion and pain and her eyes fell to the side in the briefest display of guilt. _These two have a lot of potential, I hope they can help you both…_

* * *

"You see the new guys? I hear one the little girl came straight from the police academy." Hushed voices gossiped like school children.

"She's like five feet all at best, who does she think we are? I feel bad for anyone getting stuck with her." Another man snorted a laugh.

"Hey, I heard that they're going to be Jon and Yang's new partners." Another man's voice became even more hushed as he leaned in towards his friends around the table. She could practically, feel their pity and it was pissing her off. Just around the corner, just out of sight of them, a young woman's hand gripped her now full coffee mug tight, her anger induced trembling stirring up ripples in the dark brown liquid.

"No way, those two getting partners? I feel sorry for the new guys now, I wouldn't give them a month." She could feel a fire that started as a smoldering ember flaring into a bonfire as she took long, repeated breaths to keep her calm, listening in to the conversation just a door away.

"Dude that's messed up." At least one person had some decency.

"Hey, Xiao Long as more discharges of her weapon than anyone else in Cobalt and Gray hasn't said a word in two years. I know I wouldn't want to be stuck with them."

"Hey!" Yang growled, stepping into view at the threshold of the door to the breakroom, a burning hot cup of coffee held by her fingers resting at her side as though it were nothing, her once lilac eyes burned crimson. Instantly, the three men all snapped to attention looking scared and guilty as hell, retreating to the opposite end of the table, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and their superior officer.

"Sergeant Xiao Long um… we- we didn't see you there." The man who had said those callus things now smiled hopefully and gingerly at her, trying to play it off.

"Your break has been over for three minutes… get out now." Her wrathful voice was like cold fire at once burning with the heat of rage and the chilling bite of pain and bitterness.

"Yes Ma'am!" Like that, they all scurried out, Yang stepping side so they could pass, but glaring intensely at each one as they passed her.

"Pathetic." Yang huffed bitterly, running her fingers through her long, thick blonde hair, exhaling her anger and letting her eyes cool back to lilac. With her free hand she patted the chest pocket of her leather jacket, feeling for her pack of cigarettes, debating whether or not to smoke first and just leave her coffee in the break room. _It's tempting…_

"You know those things will kill you right?" A cool but empathetic and playful voice spoke up, grabbing her attention.

"Hey Blake, taking a break to join the living huh?" Yang smirked, letting her hand fall to her side while she brought up the cup of coffee to her lips, taking a small sip before walking towards Blake who entered from the other side of the room, leaving a table between them.

"You're a little more fun to be around than a corpse." Her cat ears flicked playfully atop her head of long black hair tied in a ponytail and her amber eyes soft with caring and relief that Yang seemed at least a little happier at her arrival. She wore trousers and a black button up top with a golden yellow tie.

"I'd hope so, otherwise I might start to get jealous of a dead guy." That anger, that heat and tension, it all so quickly being snuffed out by those soft eyes and beautiful smile. Even her pain, she could feel it numbed by the new flicker of pleasant warmth in her heart

"I missed you today… thanks for showing up when you did." With a wistful smile Yang placed her mug on the table, stepping in front of Blake, only inches separating them as the medical examiner looked up into Yang's dulled eyes, she could see that the detective was hurting… and she knew exactly why.

"I missed you too. I'm sorry you have to deal with that." It wasn't the first time this had happened, she knew the Sergeant had a reputation but she knew Yang and she was a good cop, one of the best. _I just wish there were something I could-_

Her thoughts were brought to a grinding halt as she felt two strong, muscular arms wrap around her, pulling her in close, holding her tight against Yang's chest. Her whole body was washed in a blissful warmth as Yang held her, resting her chin on top of her head between her cat ears. Blake could feel the detective's heart pounding within her chest as she squeezed Blake, her breaths shaky as she fought back powerful emotions that would have overwhelmed her without the embrace of the one she loved.

"I- I was really hoping I'd see you today before we went home… it's been a rough day." She felt slender arms wrap around her waist, locking behind her lower back and holding her as tight as they could while the smaller girl in her arms cuddled against her chest.

"I heard a rumor that you're getting a new partner, I was worried about you. I know you probably don't want to hear this but your sister would want you to move on, she'd want you to have a new partner so you could be safe. I want you to be safe." She could feel Yang's embrace grow stronger and tighter but she didn't mind, even if her fiance didn't know her own strength. "It's been two years, it would take a lot off my mind if I knew you weren't alone out there."

"I know… I know." Yang's body convulsed as she bit back the sobs welling up from her throat, her teeth gritting against the torrent of pain in her heart.

"Um, excuse me…" A soft and worried voice spoke up behind them, causing both women to flinch in surprise before hurriedly separating, turning around to find a young faunus man with blonde hair and a monkey's tail and by his side, a tiny girl with short red hair tied in a braid on the side of her head held together with a small purple bead. Both looked at them with concern and empathy.

"Oh, sorry… um, I take it you're the newbies." With a deep and trembling breath Yang forced her composure back, wiping away the cloudiness in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm Sun and this is Thistle… we were told to find our new partners. Are you Yang? The Captain said to look for a tall blonde, she kinda left out whether Yang was a guy or girl." Sun looked away awkwardly, her eyes looking pleadingly to Thistle for help but all he got was a barely suppressed snort of laughter.

"Yeah, I'm Yang Xiao Long, Sargeant of the Cobalt Unit and a Cerulean specialist, it's good to meet you Sun." She had very instantly regained an air of authority and strength as she walked over to them with Blake following close behind. "This is Blake Belladonna, our medical examiner, one of the best in the world."

"A pleasure." Blake smiled, shaking his hand and then Thistle's before looking back up to her fiance. "I should get back to work, I love you."

"Love you too babe, don't work too hard and I'll see you tonight." The two held a lingering, loving gaze into each other's eyes before Yang gently brushed aside her black bangs and tenderly kissed the doctor's forehead.

"Be safe." She looked back up to her fiance, getting a warm and reassuring smile. There was nothing she could do for the girl she loved now but hope her new partner could keep her safe on the job. Blake gently brushed her hand against Yang's before giving her a subtle nod… and turning around, walking towards to door that led from the breakroom to the basement.

"I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your sister." Sun dipped his head respectfully. He just couldn't fathom the kind of loss she experienced.

"You heard that part huh?" A bittersweet smile formed from her lips as looked up towards the ceiling, her hands resting in her jean's pockets. "We lost her on an assignment two years ago, things went wrong, our intel was bad and a lot of people got hurt. Thistle right? Who's your new partner?"

"Some guy named Jon Gray." She shrugged. "Captain didn't tell me where to find him so I just followed Sun hoping I'd run into him."

"Well, you don't need to look anymore." Yang motioned with a jerk of her head and at once Thistle and Sun turned their heads to look behind them.

"Eeeep!" Their terrified squeals somehow managed to hit the exact same pitch as they jumped back from the tall, looming man with dull brown eyes and a scruffy face, his dark brown hair was a short crewcut. He looked perpetually tired and his skin was littered with scars, one prominently in the middle of his throat.

"Hey! Don't you know it's rude sneak up on people like that!" Thistle growled, baring her teeth as she stomped up to the man who was easily a foot taller than her and probably had a hundred pounds of muscle on her.

He stayed silent and stoic, looking down at the tiny girl, his hands resting in his tan cargo pants, his posture relaxed as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Thistle felt her aggravation boiling over into rage, her fists balling at her sides.

"Don't bother, he hasn't been able to speak in two years." Yang smile, resting her ass against the table and folding her arms over her chest. "Lieutenant Jon Gray. He lost his partner too, same day, same tragedy. Everyone who was there for that assignment has scars from what happened, some scars a little more visible than others. The reason I'm telling you all this is so you know exactly where you are. You two have just stepped into the most dangerous occupation in the city, and one of the most dangerous in the world, life can be short and cruel and we're on the front lines trying to keep Vale safe. Still, Jon is a top tier officer and a veteran of the Cobalt Unit, you're in good hands Thistle."

"What exactly happened on that assignment two years ago?" Thistle turned from her new partner back to Yang, her soft purple eyes shining with curiosity.

"It's a long story, maybe Jon can tell you about it some time." Yang smirked, grabbing her coffee. "Come on Sun, I'll show you the ropes."

 _So, these are the new guys huh? They don't seem like much. Whatever Captain Velvet says, you'll always be my partner Ruby. Wherever you are… kick some ass Sis._

* * *

The sun hung low in the sky painting the horizon a dazzling array of blues, pinks, oranges and reds as dusk set in. The streets were largely empty, most new better than to wander around in the ghettos of Vale at night, it was a dangerous part of the city and at night, the predators were on the hunt.

A warm breeze flowed through a long black cloak, the cape fluttering in the wind revealing the inside to be a bright red as a small figure walked with purpose towards her target, a black hood pulled up over her head, leaving only small hits of her red tipped hair hanging out. Behind her, two men in suits carrying plastic jugs walked, following her lead as they came up behind a medium sized shop.

Her heart felt tight with energy and excitement as a devious smirk pulled at her lips. The air crackled with energy, blue sparks arced around her body as she grew high off the anticipation, even the two men following her slowed their pace, looking worriedly at each other as they approached a large metal box along the backside of the building.

 **Bang!**

In a blur she pulled out her gun, firing it into the box, the powerful, extremely high caliber bullet ripping through the metal and components inside as though they were nothing before slamming into the concrete on the other side. Sparks surged and smoke bellowed from the hole but the girl didn't flinch or hesitate as she walked up to it, reaching out her small, pale hand, letting the sparks jump to her body, mingling with the electricity that surrounded her. In the next instant a powerful jolt surged from her arm, the box exploded into sparks and fire but the girl was unharmed.

"Come on, we don't have much time now." Her voice was soft but dripping with darkness as she turned away from the burning, disfigured mass of metal and electronics.

She couldn't help it, when she got excited or stressed or angry her power would leak, sending her body crawling with electricity, lightning arcing over her skin and clothes. It felt good so she didn't fight it, instead she let herself be cloaked in electricity, warding off anyone who would dare come too close. Her silver eyes glinted, reflecting the light of the sparks as they jolted around her face like mirrors, hungry, dangerous mirrors.

A bell rung as she pushed the door open, walking into the nearly empty shop with her powerful pistol still in her hand and a menacing grin still darkening her face. In the darkened room, only illuminated by the faint light of the setting sun. It was a shop filled with auto parts and customized vehicles on display in the open floor plan. At the far end of the shop, a man cowered, backed up against the wall, his eyes fixed on those terrifying silvers they ignited with a hot blue light every time a bolt of lightning arced in front of them.

"Mister Bauxx, I think we need to talk." Her gun rested in her hand at her side while her other reached into her pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes, flipping it open before she pulled one out with her lips. "You haven't payed us this month and that's a problem."

"Please, you can't get blood from a stone. Business has been bad and-"

"Now now Larry, I wasn't sent to get excuses, I was sent to get the money." Electricity arced around the tip of her finger sending it into a hot glow as she touched it against the end of her cigarette instantly setting the shreds of tobacco into a smolder as she took a deep breath of the smoke. As the bolts diminished she rested her hand on her second gun holstered at her side. "Douse the place."

"Yes Ma'am!" At her command they opened the plastic jugs and got to work, pouring the pink liquid all over the shop, focusing on the cars prominently and proudly displayed.

"W-what are you doing!?" Larry cried out in horror as they sloshed around the liquid, however, his attention was firmly taken by the small woman as she slowly walked up to him, her sparks subsiding, leaving only the orange glow of her cigarette to illuminate her face shadowed by her hood.

"It's a mixture of a binding agent, Fire Dust and high proof alcohol. It's extremely flammable and and will keep burning for hours." Her teeth sunk gently into the filter of her cigarette as she grinned wildly, her boots splashing in the puddles of combustible liquid. "You see, we know you have insurance on this dump and since you haven't been paying, this place is worth more to us as ashes."

"You can't do that!" He growled, his hand shooting down to his jeans, lifting up his shirt as he grabbed for a gun.

 ** _Whooosh!_**

In a blur of red and a storm of rose petals the girl closed the distance between them in almost an instant, a powerful gust of wind following behind her as she grabbed on tight to his wrist. He he could see, marks on her skin, her face, her arms emanating with a faint glow that parks arced from, the scars that painted her body that had been turned into her strength, specialized tattoos filling in the scar tissue with Electric Dust.

"I would think very, very carefully before you decide to fight me." She whispered, standing up on her toes, putting her mouth close to his ear. He could feel the heat from her cigarette and smell the ozone produced by the electricity around her. "You know you'll die if you try to fight me and that would be okay with us too, however, you might want to think about your wife."

"Please… you don't have to bring her into this." She could practically taste his terror and desperation.

"Hmm, I think you misunderstand me. It's not up to me, it's all up to you. After all, if I kill you then the insurance money will go to your wife and we'll have to have her pay your debt. It's a pain in the ass for me but it would be hell for you family. So, I'm going to give you a choice; either leave this place in ten seconds or I shoot out your kneecaps and let you burn with this dump." He could feel her gun's business end press hard against his leg as she slowly released his hand. She looked up at him with those dark and predatory eyes, playful and amused like a cat toying with a mouse it was about to devour.

"I won't fight just please… please don't hurt my family." He was trembling as he stared into those eyes, his heart pounding and his vision clouding with tears.

"Then run… and next time-"

 **Bang!**

"Pay us." Her words were as cold as liquid helium as the barrel of her gun smoked. Larry stood in shock and at first, he didn't even feel any pain… until his gaze drifted down to his arm. He was bleeding, a sizable gash was ripped through skin and muscle at his shoulder, intense and unimaginable waves of pain washed over him along with nausea and pure, unbridled terror.

"Run now or burn." Without another word she turned around, taking a long drag off her cigarette as she walked through the extremely flammable pink fluid. "Come on, we're done here."

"Yes boss!" Her grunts said in unison, dropping the jugs onto the floor as they followed her out the door.

Without pause or hesitation she took in one last deep breath of smoke before pulling her cigarette from her lips and tossing it behind her as they walked out the door. In an instant a hot glow ignited from within as the flames roared and consumed everything inside, the orange light bathed the girl from behind, casting her in a menacing and horrific shadow as the fire rose up, rapidly burning the building.

"Yeah, it's done." She spoke coldly into her Scroll. "This was a pain in the ass and I'm not getting payed enough for this shit. You tell Roman Torchwick that I want a face to face or I walk!"

 **Click!**


	2. Drawn Closer

A soft sigh left her lips as she stared listlessly out the window, watching the city rush by as they drove to their destination. Thistle toyed with her side braid while her forehead pressed against the glass while in the driver's seat her new partner Jon drove inconspicuously, not too fast and not too slow, minding all the rules of the road and the whole ride never once speaking a word, only occasionally lighting up a cigarette, letting the smoke vent out through his cracked window.

 _Somehow I thought my first real day on the job would be more exciting. How did I get stuck with this guy? I'm jealous of Sun, Yang seems like kind of an asshole but at least she's less boring than this guy. I bet they're having a lot of fun kicking ass while we drive like an old lady, damn it this sucks. Apparently Jon is some veteran of the force or some shit but he doesn't seem like anything special, just looks like an old dude who doesn't get enough sleep or even bother to take care of himself._ She couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness as she glanced at the man, casually smoking a cigarette as he took a shallow turn down into a large parking lot.

"So, I guess this is the place?" Thistle shifted in her seat, her muscles tensing, begging for some action, her fingers gently touching the handle of her karambit knife sheathed at her side opposite to her gun.

Stoic and dull Jon didn't say a word as he parked, taking off his seatbelt as he took one last long drag off of his cigarette, burning it down to the filter before snuffing out the embers in his ashtray. A jerk of his head was the only indication he gave to Thistle before he opened the door, brushing the ash off of his jacket as fresh air filled the smoke laden car.

"Fine, whatever." With a dissatisfied huff she flung the door open and hopped out, jamming her hands into her pockets as she looked up at the series of extremely cheap and shady apartments. A quick glance around showed that the occupants didn't take too kindly to cops as they call quickly but casually scattered or otherwise kept their distance while watching them carefully, a few going for their scrolls as they did so.

"Why would he be hiding out in a dump like this?" It didn't make any sense to her, she could understand going into hiding or running away but their target had at least the means to hide out somewhere a little nice, or better yet, go to the police. _I guess we'll find out soon enough._

A nudge to her arm from her partner's elbow drew her attention and aggravation as she looked up at him, watching him hastily scrawl something out on his notepad that he used as his primary means of communication. She couldn't really fault him for it since he lost his voice in the line of duty so she just resigned herself to dealing with it.

 _'_ _APT 139'_

"So that's where he is? The individual buildings that make up this complex aren't that big, it shouldn't take long to find him if he's in this one." She really hoped the apartment number was right, she didn't want to go searching through all half dozen buildings looking for this guy.

With a tepid nod Jon agreed, walking ahead as he clipped his notepad and pen to his belt with his new partner following along behind him. It was a rough neighborhood in the ghetto and he knew from experience that this wasn't a place for cops, especially when it got dark, but unlike the normal police, the Cobalt Unit were specially trained and individually very powerful so they walked with confidence. He was dubious about his partner, this kid who had only just come from the police academy and somehow managed to join Cobalt without going through the process of proving herself as an officer or going through a Huntsmen Academy and getting in through them. She was just some kid… _So what makes her so special?_

Jon took the lead up the dirty carpeted stairs leading to the second floor while Thistle followed, taking in the scenery and wondering just how anyone could live in a place like this. The air was heavy with the smells of cigarette and weed smoke, mold, dust, animals and urine. Through the apparently paper thin and poorly insulated walls every sound could be heard within each individual unit which included everything from television to music to fighting to loud, rough sex.

"He seriously couldn't have picked a nicer place to hide?" She griped, trying to ignore the harsh scents as they stung her nose. However, her partner was paying her no mind as he summited the final step, turning to his left before walking away, leaving Thistle hurrying to catch up, rushing up the stairs and following him down the narrow hall that ended in a scratched up, cheap wooden door.

"One thirty-nine, looks like this is it." Finally time for some action Thistle stepped up to the door, her tiny stature unable to even reach the peephole.

 **Knock-Knock-Knock!**

"Larry Bauxx, this is the Vale Police Department. We're investigating a fire at your establishment downtown." They waited… and waited, but no answer came.

"Well this sucks." She sighed with a shrug. "We don't have a warrant and I doubt the landlord would help us out in a place like this, maybe we should-"

 **Click.**

"Oooh, you know what that sound was?" Jon was almost scared of how happy her voice was and how wild and dangerous her toothy grin became as she looked up at him after hearing that distinctive metallic click.

"Probably cause!" Without pause or hesitation Thistle twisted into a kick, slamming her foot against the door before a powerful concussive explosion blew the door apart, sending splinters of wood flying and paint and drywall ripped from the skeleton of the structure around the doorframe. The entire building quaked from the raw power of her Semblance and left Jon's ears ringing as the dust settled.

"Come on, he practically invited us in." Thistle looked far too gleeful as she walked inside, kicking away the larger remaining chunks of the door. "That gun won't do you any good so just come out, we're with the police, we won't try to hurt you as long as you cooperate."

"I- I'm coming out… please, don't shoot." He sounded terrified as a hand raised a shotgun up from behind the couch which was turned into a pincushion by the shrapnel Thistle had created. He stood up, placing his gun down on the couch before putting his hands up and backing against the wall.

"You can relax, like we said, we're just here to ask some questions." She made her body relax and her smile fade as she walked up to him with Jon close behind, looking around at the carnage that the tiny girl had caused. _Okay, I guess I can see why she might have skipped the line. Still, she could use some lessons in subtlety._

"L-look, I don't want any trouble, I don't want to file a police report or anything okay so just leave!" Something a lot more frightening than Thistle had him spooked.

"Your arm, it's hurt." Her soft purple eyes focused in on his upper left arm were a blood soaked bandage was haphazardly tied around it.

"It's nothing, I just hurt myself at work and-"

"Was that before or after it was burned to the ground during the end of your operating hours?" She was getting real tired of his nonsense.

"I left early that day, I didn't see anything I swear!" He looked on her verge of breaking down into tears, his body was trembling, whether from shock, blood loss, infection or fear, Thistle couldn't be sure.

"Hey! I'm trying to help catch the guys that shot you and burned down your shop! So maybe you could help us out a little and-" This time, a firm hand on her shoulder silenced Thistle as Jon stepped in, his notebook in hand as he held it out to Larry, Thistle leaning in so she could see what he wrote as well.

 _'_ _Did you have insurance on the place?'_

At that, the man looked nervously and fearfully away, guilt flashing across his face as his jaw clenched tight. Suddenly, it all made sense to Thistle. _I wasn't thinking like a cop, I wasn't asking questions or trying to comfort the victim here, I just… exploded._

"So, however did this is threatening you to get the insurance money to them. Probably the end result of a long extortion scheme. You couldn't pay so they found another way to get their money while teaching you a lesson. They probably also threatened your family too…" She focused, clearing her mind of her anger and letting herself work through it, putting the pieces together.

"You don't understand, they don't care if I live or die, if they kill me they'll come after my wife for the money! If they see me talking to the cops they- they'll use my wife and kid as an example. Please, just get out of here!" His brown eyes glistened with tears and his voice was tight as he held back desperate, hopeless cries.

"We can help, we can protect you and your family but you have to give us something. Tell us, who did this to you?" Gentle, warm and compassionate, Thistle did her best to pull her weakest traits forward, cooling the intense fire that always burned within her as she approached him with disarming calm. "Larry, I don't want you or your family to get hurt. Let me protect you."

"I…" For a moment, he calmed down, his body stopped shaking as the certainty and caring in her voice pushed away her fears. He wanted to believe her, he wanted to put his family's life in her hands but… "I can't."

"Do you really think you're safer with the person who shot you?" She kept her soft, caring demeanor but held the slightest edge in her voice, pushing him, going on a cautious offensive, trying to break him down.

"You don't know who you're up against! She was a monster!" All his fear came rushing back along with nightmarish visions of the night before.

"She?" It wasn't much, but it was a start, Thistle knew he wanted to talk, she just needed to listen.

"If I tell you everything I know you have to promise to leave and never come back! You're putting my family in danger just by being here!" His panicked cries only made Thistle's heart flare with fire, she wanted to tell him that she could do it, that however he saw, they weren't a match for her… but her partner stepped in before she could argue, giving him a calm, agreeing nod.

"Fine." All she could do was huff bitterly, she was still his commanding officer after all.

"It was a girl, pretty short, maybe five foot five. It was dark and I couldn't see much of her through the sparks-"

"Sparks?" That caught Thistle's attention.

"Yeah, somehow her whole body was crawling with electricity, it was so much that I really couldn't make out her details… except for her eyes. Her eyes were silver, like mirrors, every time a bolt of lightning passed over them it reflected almost perfectly… she was terrifying." He shuddered just recalling those terrifying, predatory eyes.

"Silver eyes? You ever hear anything about that Jon?" She looked up to her senior officer, hoping his years on the force might give him some insight. She'd never heard of anyone having silver eyes before.

 _'_ _Just once, it's a rare trait.'_

"Okay, that narrows it down then. A short girl with electric powers and silver eyes. If it's that rare a trait we should be able to dig up something." She got another agreeing nod from her partner and for the first time… a small grin.

"Now will you please leave, if anyone finds out I was talking to you…"

"Yeah yeah, we get it. Come on Jon, we've got some work to do." With that, Thistle turned around, resting her hands in her pockets, fishing for her own pack of cigarettes. _Silver eyes huh?_

* * *

"You ready?" Yang smirked excitedly as she slapped her new partner on his firm, muscular back with enough strength to nearly topple the young man.

"Ouch, yes I'm ready but this isn't exactly my first interrogation you know." Sun winced as he rubbed his now sore shoulder. _How the hell is this chick so strong?_

"Yeah but you were Turquoise right? Sure you probably did a couple as sheriff but it's nothing like here in the city and it's nothing like Cerulean. We deal with drugs, gambling, prostitution and other illicit activities that pose a threat to public health and safety. Since you're my partner now you're going to be watching me work over drug addicts going through withdrawal, homeless people who had nowhere else to turn and sold their bodies to get by, low level dealers of drugs that honestly are harmless while we're allowed to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol all we want. It's a bitch but just keep an eye on the day we get to put away a monster running the streets and putting people in morgue… that's what makes all the other bullshit worth it." She could already feel her craving for nicotine going up as her mood plummeted. Even so, it was a talk she wished she had gotten going in.

"I'm sorry, I never really thought of it that way… it must be hard on you." He hadn't even done anything yet and he was already feeling sick to his stomach with the thought of having to do what she's been doing for years.

"Don't be sorry just toughen up now rookie, Cobalt is a whole different ballgame. We all have to sacrifice a part of ourselves for the greater good, the sooner you accept that the better." With long, drawn out sigh she reached for the doorknob. "You can't show weakness in there. Compassion, maybe, if it helps us, but not weakness… no matter how badly you want to help them."

"I understand…" It wasn't the first time he had seen that look in Yang's eyes, that dull, deep pain that clouded those otherwise dazzling lilacs. He saw it the day before, when she was talking about her sister and how dangerous the Cobalt Unit could be and what it means to be part of it. He knew that his senior officer had a lot of hard fought and hard won wisdom and he would be a fool not to heed every word of it.

"Good, then let's get in there." Her expression hardened like steel as she opened the door, standing tall with her head tilted back ever so slightly giving the the air of her looking down at whoever she was addressing. She walked with a calm, confident stride and imposing posture, her chest puffed out ever so slightly, all in all giving off a dominating and powerful demeanor.

"Alan Skye, didn't take long for you to end up back here did it?" She stood behind him, leaning over the young man, her arm propping up her body as she loomed like a confident predator over her meek prey.

"Wouldn't be in here if you'd just lay off me." He mumbled, shrinking down from her as his bushy brown fox tail curled up around him as much as it could. His light brown eyes were dull and bloodshot, he was thin and pale and worn out, even his clothes looked as though they were on the verge of falling apart, ragged jeans, a black hoodie with a broken zipper and a dirty white t-shirt.

"You wouldn't be here if you weren't caught strung out on Venom again, in an alley, with the needle right next to you." Yang lowered her head, bringing her mouth close to his ear and then she whispered, "If you were such a screw up, you wouldn't be here."

"What do you want from me man?" Sun could barely take it, Yang's words were clearly cutting him deep, hitting him in his most tender points, intentionally causing him to suffer… _She wasn't lying, what must it have taken to get her to give up her compassion like this?_

"You're going to give up your dealer this time, you're going to tell us everything about him and you're gonna help us arrest him." She kept the pressure on, being large, powerful and imposing while making him shrink further and further back, destroying his resolve with every word.

"Before you say no, let me make this clear. You're a failure, you're not doing anything but dragging your own sister down. She's in Beacon, do you have any idea how much work that is? I don't think your loser brain could even comprehend it but I went through Beacon to get here and I'll tell you that it's one of the toughest thing I've ever done. How many days has she missed just to save your ass? How many tests did she barely pass because she stayed up all night making sure you didn't overdose? How much of her life are you going to waste because you're a useless failure?!" Yang slammed her hand down hard on the table, the force causing the sturdy metal to give under her strength, intending and warping it.

"I don't know!" Alan cried out, burying his head in his arms on the table, his tail coiled as tightly as he could around himself as he trembled.

"Of course you wouldn't know, because you only care about yourself." She spat bitterly and venomously, standing herself up behind him. "You're out of chances buddy and I'm done giving you any more one sided deals. Either you cooperate or you're going away for years, oh, and you can forget about rehab, you've failed out of that every time you've tried just like everything else you've ever done with your life! Do you know how painful Venom withdrawal will be? You should, you've relapsed what? Six times now? Every time you promised your little sister that you'd clean up your act and stop being a fuckup, and you couldn't even do that."

"Please… stop it. I- I don't mean to be this way… I don't want-"

"Don't give me that bullshit Alan!" Yang roared, pulling him up by the back of his jacket, forcing him to sit up as she pulled her scroll out, quickly moving over to her camera before holding it out in front of him. "Look at yourself Alan, look what you are! You're a fuckup! You made yourself this way, not your dad, not society, certainly not your sister! You, you're the reason you're a failure and you're going to suffer in a cage for the next decade, months of which will be spent in unbearable agony if you don't tell me what I want!"

"Yang I-"

"Okay! Okay…" The pathetic, weak whimpers of the main she had beaten down cut Sun off. His heart ached as he watched Alan sob and cry shaking and breathing heavily as he tried in vain to cope with the emotional crushing he had just received.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Callous and cold Yang stepped back, giving him some space. "If your information is good I can get you into rehab one more time, but this will be your last chance. Next time, you're going away for a very, very long time and your sister will move on with her life but she'll never forget you, she'll have her own life, her loves, her own problems and her own battles that will be completely out of your control to help or even comfort her. Your little sister will be suffering and there will be fuckall you can do about it no matter how bad you want to help her. She may be strong and smart and capable but you… you're her big brother and you should be there to protect her… I think, even when she's caught up in her own thing, she'd still want to see you, she'd still think about you and when she's hurting, she'd want you there with her."

"You've taken enough away from her Alan." Her voice softened as she reached out, gently rubbing his back as he cried. "Don't take away her big brother… you do that, you clean yourself up for good this time and you won't have failed her."

"I- I want… I want to get better… I don't want to be like this… but every time I stop it feels like I'm empty. That stuff is evil and it goes after weak losers like me. I've fucked up so much… Krystal shouldn't even care about me anymore. I'm a lost cause." The pain and resignation, the defeat dripping from his words bit into Sun's heart like fangs of ice. He had never, never seen an interrogation like this. _I might as well have been playing cops and robbers… I almost couldn't stay in this room let alone do that to someone._

"You don't give up on family Alan so don't give up on her and don't give up on yourself. She still loves you with all her heart and if she lost you, she would never be able to recover. So do this for her, work with your councillors and follow the program. Get clean and never forget what matters, even more than that feeling that you get when the Venom leaves your blood, she is what matters most." She couldn't be sure if her words were resonating with him or if their talk would be enough but still, she hoped for him to find a better life. She'd negotiated chance after chance with him because she believed he could do it.

 _And I still believe he can make it through this. Ruby, wherever you are, this one is for you. I haven't stopped fighting to make the world a better place so you don't stop either. I love you with all my heart little sis and- and I… I hope I can see you again. Just come home safe…_

* * *

"Well well well, if it isn't our guest of honor." A redheaded man in a long white coat and bowler hat smirked suavely and devilishly, his hands resting atop the handle of his cane in front of him. His emerald eyes glowed in the soft white light of the warehouse and all around him a dozen men stood at his back, all armed and all ready to fight. By his side, a tiny woman with pink, brown and white hair grinned subtly, twirling her umbrella over her shoulder.

All eyes were trained on a figure that approached, a small cloaked woman clad in black and red with arcs of electricity flying around her skin. Her cape trailed behind her, flowing with every step, bright crimson of the inside juxtaposed against the stark black of the outside. She wore heavy combat boots with black stockings going up to her thighs meeting an asymmetrical skirt with a long, flowing swath of black chiffon that moved in a gradient to red at its tip. Her Skirt was held up by a metal belt with four silver, upside down crosses in the front, sides and back and two holsters for her guns rested at her hips.

"Oooh how menacing, I like it, but maybe you could turn the fireworks down while we talk business okay Red?" Torchwick narrowed his eyes as the girl came to a stop only a couple meters away.

"Sorry, I don't have the best control when I get excited." Her voice was warm and silvery as she reached up, pulling back her hood. She was beautiful, a young woman with delicate, soft features, her skin porcelain like a doll, marred by scars that littered her face and arms, her black, red tipped hair was long and flowing as she reached back, freeing it from behind her cloak, letting it hang down to her mid back.

"So, you're the infamous Ruby, my favorite little freelancer who I never had to meet or talk to but who always got the job done in a spectacular way, much like the show you put on with the last deadbeat who could pay yesterday. My men gave glowing reports about your work and I must say I was eager to meet you." Eager or not, his tone held the slightest note of suspicion.

"Yeah, about this whole freelancer deal," Ruby stepped forward, her eyes unwavering as she stared into Roman's, power surging through her skin and dancing over her clothes. Around him his men grew nervous, their hands reaching towards their weapons as the small girl approached.

"It's a waste of my time and my talent. I want a permanent position or I walk." They were only feet apart now and Roman's smile was entirely gone, replaced with a warning glare as he tapped the end of his cane against the floor.

"And what exactly would you want to do with this permanent position? I have all the men I need, why should you be anything more than a freelancer?" This was it, they both knew that her interview had begun and a wrong answer could mean death… but her excitement only grew at the prospect.

"Well for starters, your security sucks."

 ** _Whooosh!_**

Before anyone knew what had happened Ruby was gone in a blur of red and rose petals, no one knew where she had gone until pathetic scream rang out followed by a painful cracking sound. All eyes followed the helpless whining, landing on the small girl with her hand over a man's head pinned against the brick wall which now had a crater from the impact of his skull, his otherwise limp body spasming as electricity poured into his muscles.

"Maybe you're still not convinced?" With a devious, excited grin Ruby stepped back, letting the man's body fall to the ground, her eyes were vicious and hungry as she turned to face the rest of his grunts.

In the blink of an eye Ruby blitzed them, a powerful gust of air following in her wake as she jumped into the fray! The men pulled out their guns and knives but Ruby was too fast, with her first, speed augmented puch she instantly knocked out the first man, letting his body fall before her, smile persisting as two men flanked her, slashing at her from both sides with their blades… only to strike rose petals as the blur broke into separate streams, flowing around their attacks before reforming behind them with both guns drawn and aimed at their heads.

The men went down as the powerful bullets slammed into their heads, their aura failing instantly from the impact, only slowing the shots down enough so that it didn't bore straight through their skulls. Without missing a beat Ruby raised one arm, putting her gun over her shoulder before pulling the trigger, shooting a knife out of a grunt's hands and eliciting a delightful yelp of pain as the force ripped apart his hand, breaking his fingers.

Ruby effortlessly danced around the attacks, maneuvering her enemies in front of each other, putting bodies between her and those shooting at her while fighting off the ones who dared to come close, slamming her pistol into their heads with enough force to knock them out. A man slashed at her with a machete while two more boxed her in with a hail of bullets, even still she never stopped grinning wildly as she parried his blade with her gun, shooting his kneecap, making him drop his weapon before she threw her arms around him and activated her Semblance, using his body as a human shield as she charged into the ranks of the shooters that had been keeping their distance.

They backed away in terror, all turning their guns towards her… but it was too late. A massive discharge of electricity exploded from her body, flowing through the ground and air as the jolts jumped between her enemies, screams of agony sung like a chorus as their bodies fell like dominoes before her, rogue sparks still jumping from her, making those unfortunate few closest to her to suffering as their bodies spasmed and convulsed agonizingly form the shocks.

 _Well that was-_ Before she could finish that thought she spun around, her heart pounding and her smile faded as her teeth clenched, her hand moving as fast as it could to bring her gun up to meet her new foe.

Ruby stared forward, breathing heavily as she held the barrel of her gun only inches from the face of the tiny woman with big, expressive pink and brown eyes, a parasol in one hand, too slow to intercept Ruby's gun before it was put point black in front of her face. Her eyes were trained on Ruby as sparks flashed in and out of existence around her, she could feel the tingling of the electricity through her hand that held her thin blade to the side of Ruby's soft, bare neck ready to split open her artery, bleeding her out in minutes. Neither of them had ever experienced such a decisive draw.

"Okay… so you've got one girl who's not so bad." Ruby couldn't help but be impressed, showing that in a challenging smile, her eyes flickering with excitement as Neo grinned smugly and just as excitedly, neither one dropping their weapons and both holding their gaze at the other.

"Well Red, I'd say we've had an eventful evening." Roman stepped forward, reaching into his coat for a cigar and his lighter, setting the end into a warm, glowing smolder. "Ladies, I think you've both made your point so let's just relax and talk about the reason we're all here… our futures together."

"Hmmm, maybe I'm not done having fun just yet." Ruby pressed her soft pale neck against the razor sharp edge of her blade, feeling the cold steel resting mere millimeters over her artery. Across from her Neo's smirk only grew as she leaned forward, pressing her forehead to the barrel of Ruby's gun, letting her umbrella fall to her side.

"Why do I keep attracting psychopaths?" Torchwick gave a resigned shrug, taking a drag off his cigar knowing just how Neo could be and seeing that his newest employee was cut from the same cloth as her. 'I'm not going to get between them, I like blood inside my body thank you.'

"What? Did you expect this line of work to bring in normal, well adjusted people?" With raised eyebrows Ruby balked at him, not moving her neck in the slightest as she felt the gentle sting of the blade while her finger held her trigger with only a hair less weight than needed to blow her brains out at this range.

"Fair enough. Anyway, you're hired on a trial period, you get one job tomorrow, if it goes well the position's yours." Still, Ruby and Neo never once broke eye contact even as he and she conducted business.

"Sounds good, what's the job?" She had to really focus on keeping her electricity down but the pleasant fire that was raging in her chest made that extremely difficult as she kept her eyes locked on the petite woman before her.

"The police apprehending a loser drug addict earlier today and it seems like he's going to out his dealer. We have connections to this dealer so-"

"So you want me to cut off a liability, sounds fun." With a reluctant sigh, her face almost a pout she pulled back her gun and after lingering for a moment, her eyes playful and mischievous, Neo pulled her blade from Ruby's throat.

"And what if the police show up?" She turned to him, the cold from the blade ebbing from her skin as the blood rushing in her artery just under the surface quickly warmed it up, abolishing the pleasant cold of Neo's blade.

"If they get in the way… kill them." He looked at her expectantly waiting for her answer as a playful and sinister grin darkened her expression while she brought the barrel of her gun up to her lips, looking over to Neo while she kissed the warm steel of her gun.

"Mmmm, first day on the job and I'm already getting perks." Beside her Neo sheathed her blade, licking her lips as she looked hungrily at Ruby, wishing to put her blade to her flesh, holding her life by the edge of her blade, suspending her there while her own life was merely a slight squeeze from its end. It was the most fun she'd had in a long time.

"I think you'll do quite well for yourself here Red. I have high expectations."


End file.
